A conventional 35 mm type film cartridge has a protruding film leader. One longitudinal edge of the film leader extends straight from a reduced-width forward-most portion of the film leader to a full-width portion of the film leader which follows the reduced-width leader portion. An opposite longitudinal edge of the film leader extends curved from the reduced-width leader portion to the full-width leader portion.
When loading a 35 mm type film cartridge into a conventional camera, a rear door of the camera is widely opened to uncover the rear interior of the camera body including a cartridge receiving chamber, a film-exposure backframe opening, and an exposed film take-up chamber. Then, the film cartridge with the protruding film leader manually held straightened, i.e. uncurled, is placed in the cartridge receiving chamber, the full-width leader portion is positioned over the backframe opening, and the reduced-width leader portion is placed in the take-up chamber.
By contrast, when loading a 35 mm type film cartridge into a so-called "easy-load" camera, such as disclosed in prior art U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,189 issued May 13, 1997, a rear door of the camera is opened only to uncover the cartridge receiving chamber and a leader insertion slot adjacent the cartridge receiving chamber. Then, the protruding film leader beginning with the reduced-width leader portion and followed by the full-width leader portion is inserted into the leader insertion slot. And last, the film cartridge is placed in the cartridge receiving chamber.